The Clough family dynasty was always going to loom large over this game and it was no surprise that it ended as one of the talking points.

But as Nigel Clough left victorious from Leeds, the club who infamously sacked his father Brian after 44 days in 1974, he took a swipe on behalf of his son William rather than his late dad.

‘I felt nothing at all for what happened 36 years ago,’ said Clough after Rob Hulse and the inspirational Kris Commons secured a win in which Leeds goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel performed heroics.

Back in front: Kris Commons sends Kasper Schmeichel the wrong way from the penalty spot

‘I feel more pleasure because they wouldn’t let my little lad walk
on the pitch an hour and a quarter before the game. It’s a club rule,
apparently.’

The understated Derby manager is very little like his father in most
ways, but he also takes his boy to games and is no respecter of
reputations.

He has history here too, with legend - and the film The Damned
United – claiming that one of his first memories of Leeds came when his
dad told their successful players they were cheats who should throw
away their medals.

But Nigel Clough’s 12-year-old son witnessed no such bravado as his
dad stayed out of the spotlight before leaving with a parting shot.

In a battle: Leeds' Sanchez Watt tries to avoid the attentions of Robbie Savage

The manager and his players were booed as they entered Elland Road
after being dropped off five minutes’ walk away to beat the traffic.

But Clough watched the game from the gantry in a stand with his son rather than take his place in the dug-out.

What these two generations of Cloughs – and everyone else - saw was
certainly no throwback to the 1970s when both these clubs were great.

Derby’s Robbie Savage, more pantomime villain than genuine hardman,
would have been considered a complete softy back then and the second
half foul he was booked for, a travesty of justice during an era of
x-rated challenges.

Not everything has changed for the better though, and Clough senior
and his bitter managerial rival – and Leeds legend - Don Revie would
have agreed the defending here from both sides was ‘roobish’.

Commons sauntered through the Leeds defence almost from the start
and Derby took the lead in the 13th minute when Paul Green dispossessed
Jonathan Howson in the centre circle and ran through unchallenged
before laying off to Hulse, who finished smartly.

Howson made amends three minutes later when he capitalised on
Savage’s sloppy touch and drew the Derby defence before pulling the
ball back for Becchio to tap-in the equaliser at the far post.

Leeds grazed the bar twice but were vulnerable to the counter attack and paid the price despite a late rally.

Commons, full of craft in midfield, coolly converted his penalty in
the 27th minute after Lloyd Sam mistimed his sliding tackle on Tomasz
Cywka.

Green and the Polish midfielder should have extended the lead but
Schmeichel highlighted another dynasty, with his dad Peter watching
from the stands, by showing off his lightning reactions on and off his
line.

He made a superb double save from Rob Hulse and Shaun Barker with 15 minutes left and both managers were impressed.

‘I don’t really want my goalkeeper to be working as much as that,’ said Leeds boss Simon Grayson.

‘We were a bit too open and didn’t play with our heads as much as we
should, but it is a learning experience for us in the Championship.’